WSBK preview: Magny-Cours
Just a week after the world superbike caravan was in America, the action now continues in France with Kawasaki's Tom Sykes a 23pt leader over Aprilia's Eugene LavertyThe 2013 Superbike World Championship will be on track at Magny-Cours in France from October 4-6 for the penultimate event of the season.
And it could be a decisive one for the four-way title chase, with Briton Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) extending his lead to 23pts (361 to 338) at Laguna Seca over new second place man, Irishman Eugene Laverty (Aprilia). Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia, 337pts) and Italian
Marco Melandri (BMW, 319) are the other two riders who can still take home the 2013 silverware.
Sykes and Laverty shared wins on the American soil, but the one achieved by the Irishman last Sunday proved to be crucial for his and other contenders' hopes for victory. Meanwhile, Sykes has mixed memories from last year's French round (the season finale in 2012), as the win achieved in race two proved to be just not enough to clinch the title.
Guintoli hopes to shine in front of his crowd, like he did last year when he won the first race onboard a Ducati, under wet conditions.
Davide Giugliano (Aprilia) is looking to keep the momentum up after the brilliant second place of the second race at Laguna Seca, while Jules Cluzel (Suzuki), following a best result of sixth last time out, aims high on home soil, on the track that saw him winning the world supersport race in 2012. Leon Haslam will be facing the event in confident mood, after extending his contract with Honda (as well as his team-mate Jonathan Rea) for another season.
Kawasaki rider Loris Baz' participation to the French round is still in doubt, as his conditions will be further checked before the first practice session of the weekend. Frenchman will nevertheless attend his home race pre-event tomorrow at the circuit.
Current Ducati GP test rider Michele Pirro will step in for injured Carlos Checa at Ducati, while former WSBK regular Lorenzo Lanzi will make a comeback to the series, for the first of two rounds, with the newly-born Mesaroli Racing Ducati aboard a 1198RS.
Australian Mark Aitchison’s deputisation stint at Pedercini Kawasaki is over, but Magny-Cours will welcome Mildura’s Brodie Waters into the fold. Waters has taken compatriot Mitchell Carr’s place in the AARK Racing world supersport team.
Carr defeated Waters in the battle for top spot in the 2012 Australian Supersport Championship.
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